Furniture Marketplace Opens in Fenton

The furniture company takes over space formerly occupied by Chuck's Boots.

Friends, family and members of the Fenton Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated the grand opening of Furniture Marketplace, 300 Biltmore Drive, Fenton. The business takes over the space previously occupied by Chuck's Boots. Business owners Nick and Paula Scalfano provide an array of furniture, most made in the United States, including sofas, dining sets, beds and accent accent pieces. For more information, visit the company website at www.yourfurnituremarketplace.com, or (636) 326-6444.

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New Tax Office Prepares for a Busy Season

Betty Lyons handles both small business and individual accounting needs.

Betty Lyons recently opened Lyons Tax, Bookkeeping and Accounting off Gravois Road in Fenton. The Fenton Chamber of Commerce hosted an official ribbon cutting and grand opening for the new tax office on November 11. Lyons said that she has been helping clients with their taxes for 20 years, but that she had always worked for other companies. Now that her children are in school she decided it was time to get back to work. She thought she would take a chance on herself and open her own office rather than look for a job with a large accounting firm. “It was time to get out on my own and make my own money,” Lyons said. “Most of my background is in doing taxes.” Lyons' specialty is in tax preparation. She also offers help with personal …

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Black Friday Shopping Guide in St. Louis

The stores, sales and strategies you need to optimize your all-night shopping blow-out.

Here’s a new holiday tradition to try: Say grace, eat turkey, head to the mall. Black Friday sales start at midnight this year at some of the regions biggest stores, including Walmart, Target, Kohl’s and Best Buy. We’ve read through the ads and compiled everything you need for the best all-night holiday shopping blow-out possible. And for each sale, we've highlighted the items we think would make the best gifts (at the best prices!) Check back on Black Friday for updates and tips, and if you hit the sales, tag your tweets with #BlackFridaySTL or mention @StLouisLindsay. And don't forget: Black Friday sales are already starting online at popular big box stores. Best Buy said they've already sold out of popular $80 TVs and $150 laptops, but …

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Shopping Small Business Gets its Own Day

A movement to shop local for the holidays becomes Small Business Saturday.

A new day has been added to the holiday calendar. A year ago, as the U. S. economy was beginning its upturn, small businesses were looking for a way to attract customers, and according to American Express, 93 percent of consumers like to support local businesses. Thus was born Small Business Saturday. “Small businesses are really the lifeblood of the economy,” said Mary Ann Fitzmaurice Reilly, senior VP, customer marketing for American Express. Black Friday, the holiday shopping kickoff was first. Then the Monday following Thanksgiving became Cyber Monday. Now Small Business Saturday encourages  shoppers to hit the sidewalks and support locally owned stores the Saturday after Black Friday. Last year was the first. This year it’s Nov. 26 …

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Schaefer Autobody Center Donates Van Via Circle of Concern

Schaefer Autobody repaired the van and donated through a "Recycled Rides" program.

Schaefer Autobody Centers, 300 Biltmore Dr., Suite 320, Fenton, presented a 2003 Mazda Tribute van Monday to James Savage, of Fenton. The van, which was donated to Schaefer Autobody by American Family Insurence, was repaired and donated to Savage through the efforts of Circle of Concern, a Valley Park agency that provides both long term and emergency assistance to low-income families in west St. Louis County. Schaefer Autobody, through its membership in the National Auto Body Council (NABC), participates in a national vehicle donation program called Recycled Rides. This program is a community awareness project where members of NABC repair and donate recycled vehicles to families in need.   Recycled Rides is scheduled to make simultaneous …

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High Ridge Business Profile

Bravura Realtors Moves Down the Road

Staff celebrates at an open house

The staff of Bravura Realtors celebrated with members of the Fenton Area Chamber of Commerce Tuesday as Bravura scheduled an open house in its new quarters at 2610B Gravois Road, High Ridge. Bravura Realtors was formerly located in the 1600 block of Gravois Road. Missouri. Jon Majors, Nancy Conell and the Bravura staff aim to provide customers with the tools to find the home of their dreams. For more information, visit www.bravurarealtors.com, or call 636-671-9401.

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The Rally Squirrel Makes Fenton Home

A Fenton T-shirt printer expands his business from race fans to the Rally Squirrel.

For years Phil Rideout made his living providing memorabilia to racing teams and their sponsors through his company, R&R Enterprises. His company designs die cast reproductions of race cars in Hot Wheels size or larger, prints t-shirts, hats, trailer hitches and just about anything a race car driver could sign and sell to fans. Though R&R Enterprises is open to the public, its specialty is sprint and midget car racing, the minor leagues of the auto racing world. He started off just selling the collectable cars, which his artists design locally and are manufactured overseas. Eventually his clients started asking what else he could provide for them, so he expanded into silk screening, custom embroidery and sublimation—a type of heat transfer…

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High Ridge Business Profile

A Western Wear Proprietor for 50 Years, the Clothing Business is in Connie's Jeans

C & H Western Wear has been selling shirts and jeans to the local horse community for almost a half century.

Connie Jeter likes to make his name—and that of his western clothing store—into a conversation starter. “Now, which one of us do you think is Connie and which is Hermie?” he jokes. “Most think I’m Hermie.” Connie Jeter and his wife Hermie have run C&H Western Wear since 1962. They sell all things western, from boots and hats to jeans, saddles and bits. “If it’s western, we have it,” said Jeter. The store caters to the western crowd—both the weekend cowboy and the folks who need fancy duds to wear while riding horses in a show ring. Of course, you don’t have to ride a horse to shop at C&H. They carry more than 4,000 pairs of Levi’s, the biggest supply in the area according to Jeter. “People come from all over for our jeans—and you can’t get…

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Passing Lane Motors, Northwest Printing are New Neighbors in New Facilities

Two Fenton businesses celebrate move to new locations.

Two local businesses received the "big scissors treatment" Tuesday from the Fenton Area Chamber of Commerce as they celebrated moving into new facilities. Passing Lane Motors, 514 Mae Ct., Fenton, is a unique showroom for classic cars and hot rods that doubles as a banquet facility for business meetings, birthday parties and other events. Owner Daryl Ball has an extensive collection of classic cars and memorabilia in the showroom. The vehicles are not just part of the decor, but are available for sale. Just a sprinkling of the automobiles available include: Other items available at Passing Lane Motors include: For more information about Passing Lane Motors visit the company's website at www.passinglanemotors.com. Located next door to …

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Fenton Business Profile

The Lofty Art of Guitars

David’s Guitar Loft teaches students the fine art of rock guitar.

David Mark opened his second David’s Guitar Loft in old town Fenton last June. His first guitar studio in Webster Groves opened in 2000 and was located in a tiny second story “loft” over a deli. His wife and co-owner Lara Mark said they were looking to expand their business and decided Fenton had both the right family atmosphere plus a lack of competition from quality instructional studios. She said that David’s Guitar Loft’s main focus is teaching, where as other stores emphasize retail sales and have added musical instruction as an afterthought. “We’re a teaching store that supports our students,” Lara said. David has been playing guitar since he was six. “He taught guitar to put himself through college,” said Lara. He graduated with a …

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